Climbing cleat for skis



March 26, 1940. L. M. JETT 2,194,979

CLIMBING CLEAT FOR SKIS Filed' April 1'7, 1939 La@ a l n! Z5 y @3 Z6 w Z9 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES ATENTL oi-frlce.

2,194,979 y CLIMBING CLEAT Fon sins y Lloyd Jett, Seattle, Wash.. j Application Aprilia 1939, serial Nazsas'za I 2 claims. (C1. *28o-11.13) i The invention relates' to climbing cleats for skis and more especially to quick racting and detachable ,climbing wings or cleats for skis. The primary object of the invention is the provision of a'cleat yof this character, wherein each ski carries `at the heel end thereof the said cleat which is susceptible of. quick automatic action vfor the setting thereof so as to enable a to relieve the skis of surplus weight, particularlyA when making a flat or substantially at run or` when ascending an incline or hill.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleat of this character, which'is simple in its construction, readily and easily attachable to or demountable from 'a ski and when attached to the ski prevents any back slide in the use of the ski, particularly when climbing gradesor hills and when descending a ,grade or a hill it can be relieved of any drag upon the ski, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install. i

With these and other objects in fview, the inventicn consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanyingl drawing: l

Figure 1 is a side .elevation of a ski showing a cleat constructed in accordance with the invention.

showing spondingpartsmthroughout the several views in the drawing. v

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a skiof conventional construction while 1.

at'the heel end or the trailing end of the ski is the cleat B constructed in accordance with the invention and hereinafter fully described.

The cleat B` comprises a fiat base plate I0 of therequired length and having a width substantially equal to the width of the ski A while formed at opposite sides vof this plate andalso at the inne-r end thereof is a `marginal upstanding ange. 'I'he side portions II are formed with perpendicularly directed forwardly inclined pivot ears `I2 for a pintle or pivot I3 accommodated within a pintle sleeve formation I4 onthe cleat or wing proper I5 so that the latter canswing l clear in a vertical direction with respect tothe heel or trailing end of the ski A in the use of the cleat. l

The wing or cleat has integral therewith or separately joined theretoa bracing rib involving rearwardly divergent branches I 6 and `a main stem I1, respectively. This stem I'I protrudes beyondthe pintle sleeve formation I4 in a forward direction with respect tothe ski A and constitutes a pivot ear I8 to which is pivoted at I9 a plunger or throw rod 20. About the plunger or throw rod 20 is a coiled expansion spring 2I having one end fixed relative'to the rod or stem and the .other end tensioned against a latching dog 22 loose upon the stem or rod 2i) and confined between guides 23 formed with the base plate I0, the latching dog 22 being adapted for latching' engagement to hold the base plate I 0 separately fastened to the ski in a manner presently described. The guides 23 also serve as a brace as well asa guide for hol-ding the back from bending in either direction.

The spring 2l functions to throw the cleat or wing I5 in a positive working position to enable the ascent of va grade, incline, hill or the like in the use of the ski A. The cleat or wing I5, when in working position, abuts a stop flange 24 turned downwardly from the outer end of the base plate' Pivoted to the end portion 25 of the flange on movement of the plunger or rod 20 is a holding latch26, being pivoted at 21, and engages with` the said plunger or rod 2Ilto hold the wing or cleat I5 in a non-working or inactive position, 4 namely, raised to the position as shown in Figure .5 of the drawing. 'I'his holding latch 26 can be dislodged from the plunger or rod 20 with a ski stick or the like so that there is no need for a user to remove the ski or bending into awkward position for such purpose.

Permanently applied to the ski A at the heel or trailing end, that is, at the upper face thereof is a keeper plate 28 having round headed male keeper members 29, these being accommodated within keyhole shaped slots 30 and 3|, respectively, formed in the base plate I0 and the end flange 25 thereof for the fastening of the base plate Hl superimposed upon the keeper plate 28, the latch 22 being engageable in an abutment notch 32 provided in the keeper plate 28 so that the said base plate l0 will be detachably locked to the keeper plate 28. In this Way the climbing cleat is separably fastened to the ski and is usable for grade climbing.

The latch 22 is formed with finger grips 33 and the latch 26 is also formed with a finger grip 34 for convenient manual manipulation of these parts. The free end of the plunger or rod 20 is fitted with an abutment nut 35 cooperating with the latch E6 as exhibited in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing.

The keeper members 29 are freely released from the slots 3Q when registering with the larger open portions thereof.

The spring 2l functions to actuate the latch 22 in a latching position for engaging the abutment notch 32, as will appear in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawing, and in this manner the cleat is detachably latched with the ski.

What is claimed is:

l. A cleat for a ski having a keeper plate at the rearmost end, comprising a vertically swingable wing, a base plate pivotally supporting said wing and having separable connection with the keeper plate, means latching said plates in connected relation to each other, means active upon the wing for placing the same under tension, means for latching the last-named means for relieving tension on said Wing andmaintaining it in an elevated position, and a stop flange formed with the keeper plate for limiting the vthrow of the wing in one direction, the said firstnamed means including a plunger and a spring coacting therewith.

2. A cleat for a ski having akeeper plate at the `rearrnost end, comprising a vertically swingable LLOYD M. JETT. 

